Padma Awards 2025: PR Sreejesh bestowed with Padma Bhushan; Padma Shri for IM Vijayan

Olympic medal-winning former Indian hockey player PR Sreejesh has been bestowed with the Padma Bhushan Award, the third-highest civilian award given by the Government of India.

Sreejesh played a pivotal role as a goalkeeper during the Indian men's hockey team's medal-winning campaign in Tokyo in 2021, which ended the country's 41-year wait for an Olympic medal in hockey.

He won his second consecutive Olympic medal with the Indian men's hockey team in the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Currently serving as the head coach of the Indian junior men's team, Sreejesh also won two Asian Games gold in 2014 and 2022.

For his marvellous achievements under the bar, he was also adjudged FIH Goalkeeper of the Year three times in 2020, 2022 and 2024.

In 2015, he was honoured with the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri in 2019.

Aside from Sreejesh, three other sportspersons have been awarded the Padma awards. Satyapal Singh is the only para coach to be awarded the Padma Shri.

Para-archer Harvinder Singh is the only para-athlete to be awarded the Padma Shri by the government from a list of 139 awardees.

Harvinder is a double Paralympic medallist. He has the distinction of becoming the first Indian archer to win medals in the Paralympics. He won a bronze medal in the men's recurve event in Tokyo in 2021 and gold in Paris in 2024.

Cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, who took a call on his illustrious career during India's tour of Australia last year, footballer IM Vijayan and para-coach Styapal Singh have been honoured with the Padma Shri Award for their distinguished achievements in the field of sports.

Ashwin, the 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy winning star of the Indian men's cricket team, retired with 537 wickets, second only to Anil Kumble's haul of 619 scalps. Ashwin took a total of 765 wickets in 287 matches, the second-most by an Indian bowler. He is only behind Kumble, who took 956 wickets.

Former striker Vijayan played 72 matches for the Indian men's football team and scored 29 goals. He was the captain of the Indian team from 2000 to 2004 and played for teams like East Bengal and Mohun Bagan.